Scott Severin hopes Watford move can earn Scotland recall

3:40pm Saturday 4th July 2009

By Simon Mail

New signing Scott Severin says he hopes his move to Watford can help revive his international career for Scotland.

The 30-year-old former Aberdeen skipper, who has moved south of the border, believes he has every chance of adding to his 14 caps, and helping his national side qualify for the World Cup, if he impresses in England.

Severin said: "I think that's why I came here as well. There are a lot of guys playing in this league, Ross McCormack, Gavin Rae, quite a few in the international set-up. If I can do well for Watford then hopefully I can get recognised again."

After a decade in the Scottish Premier League, the versatile midfielder admits he was pleased to get the chance to play in England.

He added: "The manager spoke about his plans for the club and he's got good ideas about how he wants to play football and I like to play it that way as well.

"I'd spent ten years in Scotland, five at Hearts and five at Aberdeen, so maybe I was getting stale playing against the same teams each week. So hopefully I can come here and improve as a player as well.

"It was always something I wanted to do," he added. "Maybe I spent a couple of years too many in Scotland but thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It's a new challenge for me here and hopefully I can help Watford have a good season in the league. It was an easy decision to make. Once I knew they were interested I was delighted to come here."

Severin is confident the Hornets will be competing at the top end of the Championship and cites Burnley as an example of a team which defied the odds.

"I think there is a decent enough squad to achieve something this season and with the new manager coming in there will be a clean slate for everybody," he added.

"Hopefully we can get a good start and maintain it from there and hopefully do well. You just have to look at Burnley. No one believed they could do what they achieved last season."

The experienced player was used in defence in his last season at Pittodrie but admits he is more comfortable in his natural position in the middle of the park.

Severin said: "For eight-and-a-half seasons I was a central midfielder but last season I was chopping and changing between centre midfield and centre-half. I enjoyed both positions but if I could pick I would probably choose midfield. But it's up to the manager and all that matters to me is being in the starting XI.

"I'm not the quickest but I'd like to think I read the game well enough to compensate for that. You just need to wait and see and hopefully the fans will see the best of me."